One step aqueous solution preparation of nanosize iron-doped tin oxide from SnO2·xH2O gel

Nanosized iron-doped tin oxide solid solution was prepared by mixing tin oxide gel SnO2·xH2O with a boiling solution of iron nitrate. The XRD data of the as-prepared and annealed sample at 773 K show that the patterns are indexed to the rutile phase without any trace of an extra phase. SEM and TEM results performed on different selected area of the samples reveal a homogeneous composition of 8 at.% of Fe content and a size of about 2 nm of the particles. The particles size was found to increase slightly with temperature; about 7 nm after 24 h at 773 K. Structural and magnetic results seem to indicate that Fe3+ substitute for Sn4+ on the as-prepared sample. The system presents some weak ferromagnetic character at room temperature.